Bond Made in Hell || A TAEJIN STORY || Arranged Marriage

38

Hello 👋

Jungkook

'Seokjin?'

I speak hesitantly into the receiver, my breaths quickening and my heart beating fast in my chest.

There's a short pause and then a low voice speaks at the other end. 'No, Sir. This is Park Jimin.'

My head reels with disappointment and my heart is suddenly heavy once more. I take a deep breath and try to speak in the phone as calmly as I can.

'Yes, Jimin-ssi?'

'I called to talk about my leave. I'm sorry I had it extended without giving prior notice, the thing is-'

'It's fine, Jimin,' I say, my voice sounding rather thick. 'It doesn't matter. I forgive you. When are you coming back?'

There's a small, rather surprised silence at the other end and then Jimin speaks once more. 'I'm on my way to the office right now, Sir. I'm just outside the building, as a matter of fact. I knew I could have come up directly to speak to you about this, but-'

'That's fine.' I sigh deeply. 'Just come up as soon as you arrive and have a quick word with me, will you?'

'Yes, Sir.'

I put the receiver back into its cradle and drop back in my chair, folding my hands across my chest. The back of my tongue feels heavy, stuck in my throat. Jin's long disappearance after the fiasco in our last meeting had taken its toll on me enough, but now, after hearing Jimin's voice, I feel even more depressed, strangely so.

With a burdened heart I lean forwards and rearrange some objects on my office desk, then sit back, silent, waiting.

Jimin

'Good morning, Sir.'

Mr Jeon looks just the same as the day I left him. He doesn't seem to have been particularly affected by whatever happened while I was away- and judging from what Seokjin said to me, it certainly was rather a lot to take. He sits there in his revolving chair, a very, very slightly pensive look in his eyes, hands folded back across his head, forming a strange picture of elegance and casualty. I simply stand at the door and watch him for a while, desperately trying to ignore all the conflicting emotions that pour in torrents into my heart when I see him after so long.

After getting all that news from Seokjin- that horrible, horrible news- I didn't sleep for a week, and I suffered. I suffered. I had been with Mr Jeon for several years now and had seen him go out, flirt, sleep with hundreds of men and women, sometimes even in my presence (the flirting, not the sleeping-out-with) but never had my soul been so crushed before as when he kissed Seokjin. Seokjin, who was supposed to be my best friend. Seokjin, who I had always loved and trusted. My Seokjin.

I hadn't been entirely fair to Seokjin either, and I knew that. If only I'd told him I had a crush on Mr Jeon in the first place, things would have never, never come to this. But what was done was done....and there was no going back. I had felt so terribly guilty after hanging up on Seokjin so rudely and abruptly that day- but could you blame me for doing that? Nothing in the world could have persuaded me to ring him again afterwards, as much as I wanted it, as much as I knew I had to. I had put off going back to work for as long as I could, even considered quitting- but I had a family, my siblings, my parents, people to care for, lodgings and bills to pay for. I could not, not, afford to let a stupid crush on my boss stand in the way of my survival. And so, I had pushed away, albeit with a great amount of struggle, all my feelings of despair, betrayal and heartbreak-pushed them all away and locked them up in a secluded little corner of my heart that kept all my dark secrets.